Manchester City midfielder Rodri has escaped a suspension after being fined £80,000 for comments he made about referees following his side’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last month.
According to The Times, the Football Association charged the Spain international with misconduct after he questioned whether officials had treated City fairly.
Rodri made the remarks during a post-match interview after the Premier League fixture.
“It’s not today, it’s two, three games in a row. The referee has to be neutral and for me, honestly, it’s not fair,” he said at the time.
Players are permitted to criticise decisions but are not allowed to question the integrity or neutrality of match officials. The FA therefore brought a charge against the midfielder, which was considered by an independent regulatory commission.
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The commission ultimately ruled that Rodri should receive a financial penalty rather than a sporting sanction. The 29-year-old was fined £80,000 and warned about his future conduct after accepting the charge.
The decision means Rodri remains available for Manchester City as they attempt to close the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Rodri also wrote to the FA to apologise for his comments and explain that his remarks had been misunderstood. He said he respected match officials and accepted that his words were inappropriate.
Manchester City supported their player during the process, arguing that the comments were made immediately after the match and in a second language.
Originally set at £120,000, the fine was reduced because Rodri has a clean disciplinary record and co-operated fully with the investigation.
Photo: Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty Images
